The Crazy Life

The days are whizzing by are they not?  It's late in the afternoon and I'm finally sitting in a sunny family room, with my legs propped up and the fan whirring above me.  Even though it's cool outside for Tampa, I got a little hot this afternoon in my SuperNanny attempts to keep Mia in her big girl bed for naptime.  It worked but I also worked up a little sweat in doing so.

So much has changed since Monday and Tuesday, when we set up Mia's room.  Her room is her room. She's thankfully very proud of her new room and isn't much interested in the old room.  I must admit it feels weird to walk into this old guest room and see it all set up for a little girl.  We're still figuring out how things should be set up and where some things might go, but as of now, almost all her belongings, clothes and shoes are in this room.  She doesn't even want her diaper changed on the changing table in the nursery anymore. "On the bed, Mommy," she told me earlier today.

We walked by the crib this morning when we were getting something from the closet and she pointed to the crib and said, "baby brother sleep in crib."  There had/has been anxiety about all these transitions; how will she handle it, what will we do, who will hit their breaking point first? (quick answer: usually me!), but thus far we've been okay! I attribute that much more to others' prayers and my requests for wisdom from God & more experienced parents more than anything else.  I'm really still such a newbie in all these transition times.

In terms of Mia's actual sleeping in her bed, she's done quite well at night the last two nights.  Naptimes always prove a tad more difficult either because a) it's mommy and not daddy, b) it's not dark outside, c) I've become lax in some of my handlings because I'm "tired and pregnant" (not always a good excuse, my friends)! or d), some combo of all of the above.  Yesterday she finally did nap, but didn't go down in a way I'd really like to replicate daily.  Today, we did the Super Nanny method (keep returning the child to the bed) and it eventually worked out.  I'm hoping we're on the start of something positive.  She will play in her bed for quite a while and be quiet (nice!) but then start to get up (not so nice).  Sleepy/Quiet-time needs to last more than 30-40 minutes, in my opinion.  

Mia's first night in her big-girl bed

"Playing" at nap time

Reading books to herself at naptime

We've had a great day overall.  The weather is cooling down and we took a walk through our neighborhood and then spent an hour at the park this morning. I noticed she was much more tolerable today at home than she has been otherwise...I think the lack of sleep from skipping naps and feeling cooped up in the house had been getting to her.  Today after lunch she entertained herself while still keeping a close distance to mommy.

Getting ready for the walk! Down with cabin fever

girl gon' love her swing!

Coloring while I scan some documents

Asleep today after a modified SuperNanny session

Beyond that, we're just heading into another weekend. As always--there is still more prep work to be done before bambino arrives but thankfully the list is a lot shorter than it was a week ago!  I have my 36 wk appt tomorrow (awfully bright and early I might add!) and some plans with some friends after that.  

Mia has an adventure planned with Uncle Luke & Aunt Allison on Saturday and I know she'll be jazzed about hanging out with them. I'm so thankful they offered to take her for an outing; it'll be good for her to spend time with them and for us to get some more things done around the house or just spend time together.  

This is my latest belly shot, pictured below with my friend Jenny, taken at church.  Currently at our congregation, there are at least 6 women who are pregnant between now and early April.  Crazy!  Thus far, 4 out of the 6 pregnancies, the moms are carrying boys.  And two other boys were just recently born in September.  ¡Increíble!  It's going to be a crazy nursery class pretty soon.  I'm so thankful for these friends though...it is a major blessing to be going through pregnancy and early childhood development with some good women.  I did not know this until after I had Mia and now I will not take it for granted!

pregnancy buddy at church -

JB: 27 weeks

MEC: 36 weeks

I'm documenting this all now because shortly so much will change and before I know it, 2011 will almost be over.  Blogging seems silly at times, especially when the blogs are lengthy, or uncharacteristically short, but for me, it is nice to be able to look back and see what was going on a couple of years ago.  Things change. People change. iPhones change.  But I don't want my memories to fade! Being verbal is my form of expression so I'll continue to let it out while I still have a voice! ;)